Russian fighter jet crash in Irkutsk result of poor maintenance works - intelligence

The crash of a Russian Su-20SM fighter jet, which hit a residential building in Irkutsk, setting it on fire, was a result of low-quality repair works completed recently.

That’s according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

"During flight tests of two Su-30SM aircraft over Irkutsk, one of them crashed into a residential building. The crew died. It is known that both aircraft were undergoing tests following repair works. After fulfilling the flight plan, one of them landed at the airfield, while the other one didn’t while its crew were silent over the radio for 20 minutes. The first plane took off again and approached the distressed aircraft. The pilots visually testified that the crew of the crashed plane died, probably due to a faulty oxygen system. After running out of fuel, the malfunctioning plane crashed into a residential building in the Novo-Lenino district," the statement reads.

The defense intelligence added that the crash was due to poor repair works. "As a result, the cabin was depressurized midflight. The crew was unable to eject, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. The name of one of them is Viktor Kryukov," the agency noted.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on October 23, as a pair of Su-30SM fighter jets were undergoing flight tests in Russia’s Irkutsk, one of them crashed into a residential building.